RoboCup Points to Future AI Applications
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The RoboCup U.S. Open gives an entirely new twist to the phrase "computer games." Four of the five events involve either programmed robots or computers playing soccer against each other. While it makes for a fun competition to watch, it will also produce some practical real-world spin-offs.
Herding cats may still be impossible, but getting dogs to play soccer is another matter. This is especially true when the dogs in question are computer-programmed Sony Aibos, as proved in early May at the 2005 RoboCup U.S. Open. Held at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, the four-day event attracted 30 teams and 200 researchers. These groups competed in five different events: a soccer game with human/robot teams; computer-simulated soccer; a third type of soccer game in which robots fired a ball about the size of a golf ball across the field; the aforementioned robot dog soccer; and a search and rescue event.
While all five events attract an audience, the robot dog soccer game is by far the most popular. Two teams of four specially programmed Sony Aibos compete on a 19 foot field. Three team members search for the ball using the cameras in their noses, chase it, and communicate with each other over a wireless network so they can use teamwork to land the apple-sized soccer ball into the goal. The fourth dog is programmed to be the goalkeeper. It’s worth noting that there are no remote controls in this event.
It’s easy to understand why this event is the most popular. The Sony Aibo is made to look like a dog, and it is kind of cute, in a slightly robotic sort of way. Aibos move somewhat like dogs; when they searched for the ball, the soccer players must have looked like real dogs sniffing for something. They even misbehave like real dogs, leaving the field unexpectedly at times, much to the annoyance of their programmers. At least they didn’t leave any “presents” on the playing field.
Nine teams competed in the four-legged soccer league. The team from Dortmund University in Germany dominated the competition. But then, that’s not too surprising. According to Alan Wagner, a doctoral student on the team from Georgia Tech, the Germans have 20 students working 20 or more hours a week to perfect their pooches’ playing style. Being sponsored by Microsoft probably doesn’t hurt, either; the team is named the “MicroSoft HellHounds.”
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